Pope Francis will be released from the hospital on Sunday after 38 days battling a severe case of pneumonia in both lungs that threatened his life on two occasions when he suffered acute respiratory crises,

The 88-year-old pontiff has been hospitalized for six weeks with pneumonia in both lungs. He will need to rest in the Vatican for at least two months, his doctors said.

Two of Pope Francis’ closest advisers are predicting that he will recover from pneumonia and that a “new stage” in his pontificate will open after he is released